SWRA Sir Walter Raleigh Aromatic

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Grangerous

Lifer
Dec 8, 2020
3,274
13,187
East Coast USA
Tossed in with my most recent order is a pouch of Sir Walter Raleigh Aromatic. I did this on a whim and in large part to the touting of @mso489 who’s opinion I’ve come to trust. I base this on his thoughtful commentary on numerous topics. — Let’s see he’s right about SWRA.
6EAA498E-C7E5-4432-B5D9-25A86CF0086B.jpeg
I remember well the last time I’d smoked SWRA. I’d purchased a foil pouch and a cob while on a vacation with friends to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. We stayed in a town called Duck, enjoying the fishing from the beach and the crabbing from the shallow bays.
This was in September of 1995. How can I be certain? Well, I was up late playing cards when my wife called me to bed. My buddies said, “Go ahead”. I said, “No way! She’s gonna make me stay, sleep or worse!” —Well, it was worse and my son Tom was born in 1996.

My memory of SWRA is a bit more hazy. I recall enjoying the smell from the pouch. I don’t recall it having any flavor. But perhaps I was puffing too hard while fishing.
6120CE4B-2609-40D0-ACCB-B2275414204F.jpeg
I’ve opened this modern iteration and found it moist. Ive set out a bowlful to dry a bit. The pouch smell is agreeable, likable, pleasant. But overpowering to any scent of the tobacco. Remember, I’m not an aromatic fan. Potpourri isn’t something I’m looking forward to igniting and tasting.

I’ve eyeballed that bowlful pretty good! A little more than I could stuff and keep a nice draw. I can’t say it felt any drier to the touch, it’s loaded with humectant. I’m dreading this….
F7AAE824-150E-44BA-A3B3-984D65D66D40.jpeg
Upon lighting, it’s unobtrusive in the way I find Captain Black to be. It’s far less an in-you’re-face-aro. But what flavor I can detect is artificial. The faintest hint of that marshmallow sweetness that comes from it’s heavy topping sours me. The room note is nice in a potpourri sort of way. It’s not something I’m enjoying. I’m not waving it under my nose to enjoy its side-stream as I do with Prince Albert, Pegasus and Granger —I get much enjoyment from that old-tyme-pipey smell that these favorites provide me.

My verdict: If you enjoy a light, not overly done aromatic with a room note that those around you will likely find very pleasant, SWRA will not disappoint. —I’ll likely never revisit this again. There’s nothing wrong with it. Simply not my cup of tea.

The trip to memory lane was worth the $5.89 USC. But did you know that it costs nearly $250,000.00 to raise a child from birth to adulthood? -and that’s just for the alcohol.

Thanks, Tom
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,472
Whoa. Sorry that SWRA isn't your style. I experienced it as a tobacco-forward aromatic nicely flavored with three-liqueurs. However, I'll have to live up to my recommendation as it is one of the sealed tubs I have as a back-up to tobbacolypse. So, if it is all I have left to smoke, we'll see if I still like it. I also have tubs of SWR regular and Granger.
 

Briar Lee

Lifer
Sep 4, 2021
4,840
13,947
Humansville Missouri
Sir Walter Raleigh in it’s heyday was available with free cigarette papers, the same as Prince Albert and Velvet.

The same big supermarkets and pharmacies would have out Prince Albert and Velvet, choice of tin or foil package, then Half and Half in a foil package, also Sir Walter Raleigh, Carter Hall, Middleton’s Cherry, and Granger in foil packages,,,all the same price. Then beside those was Paladin Black Cherry for the same price but in the same sleeve packages as today, for the same price, and the fancy Paladin package read:

It only tastes expensive.

To the right of those on the shelf were the luxury OTC brands like Captain Black and Amphora and Borkum Riff, the expensive stuff.

I can remember when Sir Walter Raleigh Aromatic was sold in the same fancy sleeves as the best drug store brands, at the same fancy prices.

Today the standards like PA and Velvet are about $4.50, and the luxury brands twice that.

SWR Aromatic was advertised as using three kinds of liqueurs and three kinds of fine tobaccos, and there was always a woman in a slinky dress smiling at the man who spent a little more, for a truly fine aromatic smoking experience.

Ir helped increase the next generation, by the alluring aroma, I suppose.
 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,893
45,752
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
It's interesting to see how different people experience a blend. I'm in MSO's camp. The only aromatic thing about SiWRA is the booze. Humicant and chemicals are part of OTCs. These are blends meant to keep on the shelf for long periods of time.

But when I'm in the mood for a good mild OTC, SWRA is a favorite, along with Chatham Manor since it lacks the chemical aftertaste of most OTC's and used higher quality leaf than Carter Hall. NOwadays I'm not su sure of anything being released until I've had an opportunity to try it.
 

Grangerous

Lifer
Dec 8, 2020
3,274
13,187
East Coast USA
Whoa. Sorry that SWRA isn't your style. I experienced it as a tobacco-forward aromatic nicely flavored with three-liqueurs. However, I'll have to live up to my recommendation as it is one of the sealed tubs I have as a back-up to tobbacolypse. So, if it is all I have left to smoke, we'll see if I still like it. I also have tubs of SWR regular and Granger.
I do not recall it being a ribbon cut in 1995. I recall a granola type cut. Is my memory correct?
 

Briar Lee

Lifer
Sep 4, 2021
4,840
13,947
Humansville Missouri
I do not recall it being a ribbon cut in 1995. I recall a granola type cut. Is my memory correct?
SWR regular is still a granola type cut.

I was 19 years old when the special aromatic SWR came out.

It was designed to apieal to ladies around you, and in my dormitory lobby tests it came out on top every time. It was a ribbon cut.

Brown and Williamson was a certified evil giant big tobacco company in 1977.

My first pouch was free. I had to buy more to keep the girls smiling at me when I smoked in the lobby.:)

EC45B030-A779-410E-92E6-EF9CFF5ABD1F.jpeg
It was sort of a hillbilly boy’s substitute for Argosy or Mixture 79 during the disco era. It was made to help you out with women who loved that perfume aroma.
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,472
When I bought a sample pouch, I was afraid it would be over flavored with not much tobacco flavor, but I found it well balanced with plenty of tobacco flavor. As is often noted with aromatics, they are the foundation of the pipe tobacco market, like ninety some percent of it. Us mostly non-aromatic smokers depend on aromatics to keep the industry on its feet.
 

Inspired Idler

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 4, 2019
163
299
Denver, CO
I think SWRA is an aro for the "experienced" smoker. Like mso489 mentioned, it's a tobacco forward blend. I find it very pleasant and without any bite. I recently put it to the test against 1-Q which I haven't reached for in years. The 1-Q was like hot air to my taste while SWRA had an appreciable sweetness and mild nuttiness to it. I don't often reach for aros but I do like SWRA on occasion.
 

anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
15,932
29,859
45
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
Tossed in with my most recent order is a pouch of Sir Walter Raleigh Aromatic. I did this on a whim and in large part to the touting of @mso489 who’s opinion I’ve come to trust. I base this on his thoughtful commentary on numerous topics. — Let’s see he’s right about SWRA.
View attachment 104118
I remember well the last time I’d smoked SWRA. I’d purchased a foil pouch and a cob while on a vacation with friends to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. We stayed in a town called Duck, enjoying the fishing from the beach and the crabbing from the shallow bays.
This was in September of 1995. How can I be certain? Well, I was up late playing cards when my wife called me to bed. My buddies said, “Go ahead”. I said, “No way! She’s gonna make me stay, sleep or worse!” —Well, it was worse and my son Tom was born in 1996.

My memory of SWRA is a bit more hazy. I recall enjoying the smell from the pouch. I don’t recall it having any flavor. But perhaps I was puffing too hard while fishing.
View attachment 104119
I’ve opened this modern iteration and found it moist. Ive set out a bowlful to dry a bit. The pouch smell is agreeable, likable, pleasant. But overpowering to any scent of the tobacco. Remember, I’m not an aromatic fan. Potpourri isn’t something I’m looking forward to igniting and tasting.

I’ve eyeballed that bowlful pretty good! A little more than I could stuff and keep a nice draw. I can’t say it felt any drier to the touch, it’s loaded with humectant. I’m dreading this….
View attachment 104120
Upon lighting, it’s unobtrusive in the way I find Captain Black to be. It’s far less an in-you’re-face-aro. But what flavor I can detect is artificial. The faintest hint of that marshmallow sweetness that comes from it’s heavy topping sours me. The room note is nice in a potpourri sort of way. It’s not something I’m enjoying. I’m not waving it under my nose to enjoy its side-stream as I do with Prince Albert, Pegasus and Granger —I get much enjoyment from that old-tyme-pipey smell that these favorites provide me.

My verdict: If you enjoy a light, not overly done aromatic with a room note that those around you will likely find very pleasant, SWRA will not disappoint. —I’ll likely never revisit this again. There’s nothing wrong with it. Simply not my cup of tea.

The trip to memory lane was worth the $5.89 USC. But did you know that it costs nearly $250,000.00 to raise a child from birth to adulthood? -and that’s just for the alcohol.

Thanks, Tom
and people keep telling me i should have a kid and i would be a great dad, i think tgey just want to share the misery!!!